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Marcus Isaacson
|Image= Alienist-Character-Infobox-05-Marcus-Isaacson.jpg |Birth= Approx. 1860 |Death= |Occupation= Detective Sergeant |Allies= Dr Laszlo Kreizler John Schuyler Moore Sara Howard |Employer = Theodore Roosevelt |Enemies= Captain Connor Sergeant Doyle Mysterious Serial Killer |Interests=Catch the killer Improve forensic science in police investigations |Education= |Family= Mrs. Isaacson (mother) Lucius Isaacson (twin brother) |Significant Others= Esther (lover) |First appearance=The Boy on the Bridge |Last appearance= Castle in the Sky |Portrayer= Douglas Smith }} is a Detective Sergeant of the New York City Police Department implementing proto–forensic investigations with his twin brother, Lucius Isaacson. Marcus Isaacson is a major character in ‘The Alienistʼ portrayed by Douglas Smith. Official Description "DETECTIVE SGT. MARCUS ISAACSON is an expert in the criminal sciences and forensic medicine. Both he and his twin brother Lucius are outcasts within the New York police department, partly because they are Jewish and partly because of their progressive and scientific approaches to crime solving. Marcus fancies himself a ladies’ man and is the more outgoing of the fraternal twins. The pair are called upon to help with the investigation." [https://www.thealienist.tntdrama.com/ Official Overview for Douglas Smith's Marcus Isaacson — TNT Pressroom] Character Overview Detective Sergeant Marcus Isaacson is a handsome young man, about six feet tall. He has curly brown hair, hazel eyes, and a fair complexion. His clothes are always impeccably clean and tidy, although they are not stylish as those of John Moore and Dr. Kreizler. Contrary to his twin brother Lucius, Marcus is a sort of dandy and playboy that takes great care of his appearance with perfumes and the like, especially if invited to important, or fancy events. Not very attentive to the precepts of the Torah, Marcus surrenders moderately to pleasures like any man of his age – even defining himself halfway between man and beast, because he surrenders to his natural sexual desires towards women – and this causes quite a few frictions between the two brothers. Marcus is also very extrovert and easy-going and a recurring event is to present himself as Detective Sergeant and Lucius just as his brother; However, it is unclear whether Marcus does this deliberately or not. Biography The following contains plot details – read at your own risk. Early Life Born in New York City from a family of Jewish immigrants who fled persecution in Eastern Europe, Marcus was born two minutes after his twin brother, Lucius. Both children were baptized with English names taken from Shakespeare's works to mitigate anti-Semitism towards them. In adulthood, the two brothers joined the police force and obtained the rank of detective sergeants. Despite their talent, they were often ostracised at work as Jews in a place predominantly dominated by Irish Catholic policemen. A Fruitful Partnership Kreizler Institute, 1896. Detective Sergeants Marcus and Lucius Isaacson are sent by the newly appointed Chief Police Theodore Roosevelt to assist Dr. Laszlo Kreizler in his parallel investigation into brutal murders of child prostitutes in the Tenderloin. After being introduced by the alienist to his friend John Schuyler Moore, the two scientists began an autopsy on the skeleton of Benjamin and Sofia Zweig, two children killed years before and which Dr. Kreizler believed were connected with the recent murder of Giorgio Santorelli. Lucius and Marcus discovered a series of cuts inflicted by stabs that matched the police report and the sketch drawn by Moore. The following day, Marcus and Lucius went to a butcher shop to find a knife capable of inflicting the same type of wounds. The two detectives made several attempts on one of the carcasses exhibited on the butcher's desk and it was during one of the experiments that Marcus noticed a girl delivering flyers on the street. Lucius made fun of him when they discovered they were advertising at a meeting of socialists and Marcus retorted, asking his brother if he knew the difference between Socialism and Capitalism. After making sure that their mother was safe at home, the two brothers met with Dr. Kreizler at Delmonico's, a renowned and expensive restaurant. Before the alienist arrived in the company of Mr. Moore, the two made the acquaintance of Miss Sara Howard, Commissioner Roosevelt's secretary, in the room that Kreizler had booked exclusively for them. During dinner, Marcus and Lucius took turns explaining their recent discoveries. The mysterious killer had experience and his weapon was a dagger known as Arkansas toothpick. The two also discovered bloodied fingerprints on a pocket watch in Benjamin Zweig's coffin. Most likely, the print had been left by the murderer. The Isaacson proceeded with more information, and Miss Howard mentioned that she had read something about Dactyloscopy — the science of a finger, palm, or foot leaving a chance impression. At the end of the dinner, the team was set up and everyone had a specific role in the investigation. After leaving Delmonico's, Marcus went to the Socialists meeting where he met the girl seen in the afternoon, Esther, and the two went to bed together. At the Kreizler Institute, Lucius, Marcus and Dr. Kreizler used a projector to study the fingerprints found on the pocket watch and the alienist noticed signs that could be scars on the fingertips, narrowing the scope of their research. At the NYPD Morgue, the two detectives wanted to examine Giorgio Santorelli's body after receiving permission from Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt, but the body had disappeared. When Mr. Tuthill referred to Roosevelt as “a bunch of hooey”, Lucius retorted claiming that Roosevelt was a revolutionary. That same night a new murder was committed in Castle Garden, and the Isaacson brothers sneaked along with the rest of the team to the crime scene to be able to analyse the scene before the arrival of the police while Roosevelt delayed the spread of the news. From a brief investigation and photograph of the scene, the murder was committed by the same hand. The following day, Marcus and Lucius explored the area and discovered that the killer had climbed along the tower wall with pitons. Marcus met with John Schuyler Moore at the Golden Rule where they questioned Scotch Ann, the owner of the brothel shut down from Roosevelt and formerly Ali ibn-Ghazi's workplace, the latest victim. On the roof, Marcus noticed the same holes in the walls of Castle Garden, coming to the conclusion that the killer must have also climbed the brothel. Meanwhile, Moore chatted with one of the child prostitutes who revealed some details about Ali before his disappearance. In the evening, Marcus slept with Esther before returning home and arguing with Lucius about his affair with the woman and what their mother would think of that. A couple of evenings later, the team received Dr. Kreizler's invitation to meet at a cabaret but once they met, they discovered that the meeting had been planned by the killer who had sent a letter full of insults and ramblings addressed to Mrs. Santorelli, and that Miss Sara Howard had with her. Proto-Forensic Science vs The Monster At the Kreizler Institute, the team resorted to the help of graphologist Alexander to study the letter and find out whether or not it was a hoax. While Marcus and Lucius analysed enlargements of the letter in search of fingerprints or other useful clues, Dr. Kreizler and Miss Howard argued about the psychology behind the criminal mind and the possibility of the presence of a more or less authoritarian female figure in the killer's childhood. At the Police Department, Marcus and Lucius had an appointment with Commissioner Roosevelt and they had a chance to converse with Miss Howard who asked for explanations about sex between two men. Marcus took the opportunity to tell a dirty story about a nurse and a soldier, much to Lucius disappointment. In the evening, Esther was a dinner guest at the Isaacson home where Mrs. Isaacson did not seem very excited about her son's choice. In the days before the Feast of Ascension, the team set a trap for the killer after discovering that he killed according to the Christian calendar holidays. The first attempt was, however, a fiasco and Marcus pursued the wrong man after seeing him sneaking up on the roof where he and Moore were posted. Unfortunately, it was a priest who carried out evangelization in the poor tenements. The second attempt a few nights later was just as disastrous. At The Slide, Marcus made the acquaintance of a young child prostitute named Rosie and when Stevie — Dr. Kreizler's houseboy who served as bait — was approached by a suspect individual, Marcus chased him but was soon disarmed. In the hustle and bustle, the killer had managed to kidnap Rosie who was later found dead at the foot of the Statue of Liberty. At the NYPD Morgue, Lucius did an autopsy on Rosie's corpse. The tortures inflicted on his body were by far the most heinous, a sign of an escalation in the modus operandi. Marcus barely managed to remain lucid during the autopsy. Commissioner Roosevelt stated that similar attacks reminded him of those carried out by some tribes of Indians in North Dakota. The following days, Marcus, Lucius and Sara Howard spent their time analysing old files, records and annotations that could be a link between past and present crimes, thus tracing the culprit. The team took separate paths to conduct large-scale investigations. The Isaacson brothers went to North Dakota. During the train journey, Lucius and Marcus had a chance to talk about Marcus' affair and Lucius acknowledged that Marcus was in love with Esther. Once they arrived at an Indian reservation, the two detectives met Captain Miller. The man told them about Corporal John Beecham's military past — a troubled and bloodthirsty young man who was sent to St. Elizabeth's Hospital]] after he was caught violating bodies during Haymaket riots. The man corresponded to the profiling. Closer to the Darkness When they returned from their respective journeys, the team discovered that Mary Palmer — Dr. Kreizler's housekeeper and lover — had been killed. After attending the funeral, the two detectives questioned Sergeant Doyle on charges of complicity in the murder committed by the former Captain Connor. With Kreizler out of the investigation, Sara Howard had found a new headquarters, 808-Broadway. From here, the team now headed by Miss Howard set out to search for John Beecham in the city records. After discovering that he had worked as an enumerator, the team tracked down his old addresses where they found cat corpses in one of the rooms he had rented years before and, in his most recent abode in the Tenement District, a series of horrifying trophies taken from the victims — human eyes in a jar, half-cooked human organs, photos of mutilated bodies and even the calcified heart of his mother in a heart-shaped box. The discovery of John Beecham's apartment brought Dr. Laszlo Kreizler back into the team and, after yet another murder at the Bath House and the kidnapping of the child that John Schuyler Moore befriended at the Golden Rule, Joseph, the team was even more sensible than ever to put an end to the series of murders. Meanwhile, Marcus was able to solve his love problems. After ignoring Esther following what Lucius had told him she had a daughter, Marcus visited her lover to apologize for his recent behaviour. The woman said she had no intention of trapping Marcus in a marriage so that he could provide for her and her daughter, and that their relationship was entirely based on the affection they felt for each other. Marcus agreed and the two shared a kiss. At the Kreizler Institute, the Isaacson brothers conducted a post-mortem on Beecham's body after Connor shot him. Dr. Kreizler and John Moore had managed to intercept Beecham and save Joseph but Connor had followed them and killed the man before Dr. Kreizler could question him — Sara Howard fortunately shot Connor before he could've killed Kreizler and Moore too. However, the three scientists found nothing abnormal in the murderer's brain. At Delmonico's, the team celebrated the success and end of their investigation, as well as the deep friendship and loyalty developed in the meantime. Memorable Quotes :Marcus Isaacson: “''I find the bones to be the most reliable witnesses while my brother is more a "man of the flesh"...” :'Lucius Isaacson:' “''He means the soft tissue!” :— ‘The Alienist’ Overview ---- :Lucius Isaacson: "Thinking about becoming a socialist now, are you?" :Marcus Isaacson: "You know the difference between capitalism and socialism? In capitalism, man exploits man. In socialism, it's the other way around." :Lucius: “''She means you stink like a 10-cent whore...” :'Marcus:' “''How would you know?” :— A Fruitful Partnership ---- :Rosie: “''Buy us a bottle of champagne?” :'Marcus:' “''How old are you?” :Rosie: “''How old would you like?” :'Marcus:' “''What's your name?” :Rosie: “''Rosie. Take me upstairs.” :'Marcus:' “''How about some poetry instead, Rosie? A pansy by way of Khartoum took a lesbian up to his room. They argued all night as to who had the right to do what, with which, and to whom.” :— Ascension ---- Gallery |-|The Alienist = |-|The Angel of Darkness = Notes * In the novel, Marcus trained as a lawyer before becoming a detective, whilst Lucius attended medical school. Before being recruited by Theodore Roosevelt as Sergeants Detectives for the New York City Police Department, they briefly worked for the Pinkerton Detective Agency. *In the novel, Marcus and Lucius have a younger sister, Cordelia, named after a character in King Lear, a tragedy by William Shakespeare. Trivia * According to writer and executive producer Hossein Amini, the Isaacson brothers are "Jewish detectives being sidelines by the generally Irish Catholics police force of the time." Director and executive producer Jakob Verbruggen added: "Through the eyes of the Isaacsons, we witness the birth of forensics."The Alienist Inside — Character Profiles * According to Matthew Shear, the Isaacson brothers are solely interested in employing scientific methods to crime scenes, which wasn't an accepted norm in the 19th century. * Douglas Smith revealed that he became a close friend with Matthew Shear, the actor who portrays his brother Lucius in the TV series. They built their friendship by researching their characters, watching documentaries together, reading novels and manuals of the time to better understand the mindset of the Isaacson brothers. Brieftake, INTERVIEW: THE ALIENIST’S DOUGLAS SMITH. written by Charles Trapunski January 21, 2018 ** Smith also said that Lucius reminds him of his own older brother, actor and director Gregory Smith, so he "kind of plugged his older brother into Lucius’ role and plugged himself into Marcus’ role." ** Smith spend a spend a lot of time in the Tenement District on Hester Street, the neighborhood of New York where the Isaacson family lives. Episode Appearance The Alienist * Ep. 1: The Boy on the Bridge * Ep. 2: A Fruitful Partnership * Ep. 3: Silver Smile * Ep. 4: These Bloody Thoughts * Ep. 5: Hildebrandt’s Starling * Ep. 6: Ascension * Ep. 7: Many Sainted Men * Ep. 8: Psychopathia Sexualis * Ep. 9: Requiem * Ep. 10: Castle in the Sky References Category:Main Character Category:Male Character Category:NYPD Members Category:Main Character (The Alienist)